Managing Your ndis Plan

Your ndis plan should offer you more choice and flexibility with your supports than was previously possible. National Disability Insurance Scheme plans are now based on the goals nominated by participants and their families.  Participants should now have a greater say in the activities they want to undertake and who they want to support them.  If this isn't happening for you and your family then you need to have a chat with your LAC or service provider.  It's always good to revisit goals and activities from time to time to ensure your goals are being met.

Your service provider or LAC should do this each time your plan is reviewed, because life changes.  This is called a service agreement. A service agreement should state the supports you will access and how may hours you will access for each service. A quote should be attached to the service agreement.  Ndis plans and thus service agreements should be directed by the participant and what they want to do, not a service provider.  If a support service can not offer you what you want, then you should look elsewhere.  If you are a school leaver then you should be talking to a number of providers.

The Ipswich Fresh Futures Market

at the Ipswich Show Grounds 

Tomorrow 9am to 1 pm

Is the perfect opportunity to take a fresh look at what is available in the Ipswich Region.  However, there may be options you've not previously considered before.  If you are self-managing your plan you do not need to use a ndis provider and you can choose to self-direct your own support team.  The best way to manage your ndis plan is YOUR WAY.

When it comes to the administration of your plan (setting a budget and paying invoices) there are many different ways to do this.  The three main ways are:

• The ndis can take care of all this on your behalf.
• Use a host funds provider
• Self manage your plan

Regardless of who is managing you plan, you have control and you can chose who you want to provide your services.  Not the ndis and not your funds host.  There is a price guide for services available through your LAC.  You have the right to price check before signing a service agreement.  When setting up your supports do not give services control, for too long people with disabilities have gone without a voice and without choice.

If you elect to self-manage or partially self-manage then you have a few more options available to you.  You can chose to self-manage everything in your plan or you can self-manage parts of your plan. Your LAC can explain this, but you need to elect how to manage your funds at the time of writing your plan.  If you are self-managing you are not limited to a ndis service provider.  So you can find a cleaner with their own ABN if you need assistance with your housework.

If you or your child requires individual support at home or in the community and you are able to self-manage then you can employ your own support team or employ staff through an agency. 

After years of juggling multiple service providers and numerous support workers I wanted a central support roster.  The only way I could secure my select support hours was to engage my own workers.  As an artist it was important I have support at the times galleries needed my work delivered.  

Engaging my own team has reduced my stress levels my staff are committed to enabling me to achieve my ndis goals and artist's dream.  They pick me up when I want to quit and encourage me to rest when I am looking tired. 

However, if you intend to engage your own workers, be aware you have legal responsibility as an employer so you may want to get some advice in this area.  Regardless of how you choose to administrate you plan, the ndis will cover your costs. This is in a separate area of your plan than the core support you will need for your support services. 

As your first plan is reviewed it is a prefect time to ask for changes. Maybe things have not worked as well as you hoped; maybe you realised you can do more things for yourself than you realised or you simply want a change, you do not need to give a reason for the changes you want.  Your ndis plan is about you and for family. 

So take your time to equip yourself with the correct information; make a list of activities you want to engage in; and ask providers how the services can support you to do the things you want to do. Above all hold services accountable to delivering what they promised. So I might see you at Fresh Futures Market tomorrow. 

ndis participation

The term 'disability' refers to a person with an impairment who is disabled by the way society is structured. A person can be physically, intellectually, behaviourally, sensory, neurologically or physcologically impaired. This week is DISABILITY ACTION WEEK. A week in which we celebrate the abilities of those living with disability. 

Having Your Voice - Art Exhibition

The abilities of artists was one the abilities Arts Connect celebrated in its recent exhibition. I have been a member of Arts Connect for the last three years.   This organisation supports artists and the arts community in Ipswich and surrounding areas. 

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is currently being rolled out across Australia. Its primary objective is to support people with disabilities and their families to fully participate in community life. In the past we have failed to see the true potential of those living with disability, because the barriers to accessing the community were too difficult to overcome.  The role of the ndis is to support individuals and families living with disability by funding supports to allow them to access the community.  

Supports such as mobility equipment, communication devices, working assistance dogs, in home support, respite care, home modifications and one on one support to access the community. Ultimately we want to see those living with disabilities be as independent as possible. 

'Frantastic' - My entry into FACES 2018

This week I thought I'd share how the ndis is enabling me to directly engage in my local community. This time 12 months ago I heard of a group called 'Ipswich Rocks', where people paint rocks and hide them in parks for others to find.  Sometimes people take a photo and let us know they've found them.  People are free to either keep the rock or re-hide them for others to find.  It is a fun way to put a smile one someones face . . . it's also creative. 

On Saturday we took part in Queensland ROCKS September challenge, The 'group' with the most painted lady beetles took home the glory.  That was Bribie Island with over 2000 rocks.  While I can paint my own rocks my support workers need to write F - Ipswich Rocks on the back. I love being part of my local community. My Saturday worker drove me to Orion to meet up with other rockers.

My ndis goals are around extending my visual arts practice, we have our art festival starting on Friday and I have entered two art competitions. I regularly exhibit my work in the Gallery spaces at Arttime Supplies.  This week Limestone Emporium has begun stocking my gift range. 

My support workers assist me to prepare my work for sale, put prices on, and pack work for transport.  Through the ndis I have additional in-home support so I don't get fatigued and can focus on my artwork.  

"Who let the dogs out?"

Decked Out Art Exhibition.

The ndis also provides physio to maintain my muscle strength and mobility equipment. These are the supports that enable me to participate in the community.  When it comes to abilities this Disability Action Week.

ndis What's the deal?

The central aim of the ndis is to increase the participation rates of individuals and families living with disability. It is not the person's impairment that prevents them from being fully involved in the community, but the way our communities are structured and the attitudes towards anyone who is different.

'Sharing our abilities 

and a different perspective on the world.'

'Having Your Voice' Art Exhibition 

The ndis' role is to assist people with disabilities to navigate the access barriers society has created.  Some ways access issues arise are through physical barriers such as stairs, poor lighting, inappropriate lighting, lack of seating room, lack of accessible toilets, height of counters, communication barriers, lack of access in the education and legal systems, lack of accessible housing, a society dependent on technology and the ability to read; and the public transport system.

Through providing funding the ndis can enable its participants to better navigate the community in which they live.  For example providing someone with a communication device and technology training, enables them to communicate with others and make phone calls independently of others.  The goal of ndis plans is to enable participants to be less dependent on others. 

Where this is not possible the ndis provides a person to support that person with an activity that is likely to result in the participant being more independent in the community, such as a life skills program where participants learn to use public transport.  When an individual is less dependent on family members, those family members can actively participate in society.  For example, they may be able to look for part-time work. Through enabling more people to participate in the economic and social life of the community, and providing more jobs in the disability sector, overtime the ndis should pay for itself.  

People living with disability are often financially disadvantaged because of the costs they incur due to their disability.  For example feeding a guide or service dog or having to modify their houses and cars to suit their needs. Paying for these items lessens the burden on their income and gives them more money to spend in the community thus making an increased contribution to revenue collected by the GST. 

We as a community need to focus less on what the ndis is costing us and more on the social outcomes and economic benefits to ourselves.  The biggest challenges of the ndis is for the community to accept for too long people with disabilities have been undervalued and their talents and skills gone unrecognised.  If working in the sector for 17 years has taught me anything, it is how much I underestimate my clients and by the lies society has told me. 

By limiting people with disabilities, I am ultimately limiting the service I can provide.  Every time I think there is a limit to what my clients can achieve I am proven wrong. As a person who identifies with having a disability I am ashamed to make a public admission.  However if I don't make this admission people will continue to believe things like people who are visually impaired see nothing, people who are intellectually impaired cannot learn and behavioural disorders are a result of lack of discipline. None of these statements are true. 

Hanging out with a few on my friends

from Arts Connect

The reason Australia needed the ndis is we needed a system that actively encourages people with disabilities to shine and thus fully participate in community life. 

ndis and working in the art studio

If you ndis goal is to sell your artwork, then you will need to produce artwork to sell. The product of art occurs in the studio, as I create artwork anywhere. well maybe it's where my art supplies and equipment are stored.  I work in what is called a home studio. However other artists don't want to work at home or do not have the spare to have a studio.  For example a print maker, may need to rent studio space that has a printing press. 

There are a number of community and small commercial studio where artists rent space.  Some artists will utilized old industrial buildings or you may choose to work in a open studio.  An open studio is where a number of artist share one venue and split the rent.  The studio is 'opened' because members of the public can come and watch artists at work and ask questions.  If you are about to leave school this may consider visiting a art studio.

The other type of studio is 'a supported studio', these are dedicated support services that support artists with disability to produce, market and sell their artwork.  Just like any other support service, you can use your ndis funding to attend a supported studio.  However, there are only two supported art studios in South East Queensland, the Brisbane Outsiders Studio run by Access Arts Queensland and Arts From The Margins run by Wesley Mission. 

Entry for the Outsiders Studio is very competitive and artists need a strong professional portfolios to apply.  The option is a Disability Support Service that has an art program.  In the Ipswich region I know both the cpl and ALARA Queensland have great art programs to support people to produce their own art. 

If you need support in the production of you artwork and you want to gain more skills these might make good stepping stones to gain entry into a supported or open studios.  This is one way to achieve this goal. Another is to have a support worker who supports you to create art in your home studio.  This is what I have chosen to do. 

My current ndis goal is to have a solo exhibition in the Brisbane area. For the last 12 months I have been working with a small commercial gallery called Aspire Gallery.  As a member of the Gallery I exhibit in their group exhibitions and have a mentoring services where my mentor guide my art direction.  I have been trying to perfect my printmaking skills this year and have sold a number of my prints at the gallery. 

I also work closely with the owner of Drawing Point Gallery.  I have had an annual solo exhibition for the last two years and participate in their group exhibitions.  I am also regularly entering art competitions. 

I self-manage and self-direct my own ndis plan.  This enables me to engage my own team of support workers to support me in my home with daily living tasks; like getting ready for work; house cleaning, meal prep and assisting me in my art studio.  When I was advertising for my team, I was clear I was an artist and wanted support to achieve my ndis goal to expand my art practise.

So in terms of my art practise my team assist me in the studio to set-up and clean up, Help put work together for competitions, delivery and collect artwork, pick up art supplies, type gallery and funding submissions and attend art related functions. 

The ndis offers people with disabilities more choices than ever before, not just (the service provider they select), but how the want their ndis plan to be managed.  There are three basic options:

1. The ndis will manage your plan for you;
2. You can choose a host fund provider to manage your plan; or
3. You can self-manage. 

The way you manage choices two and three can vary significantly and how you chose to have your plan manage will impact on some of the choices to can make. 

I self-manage my plan with the assistance of a plan manager.  This allows me the flexibility to engage my own support team and use genetic services, that means a business does not need to be a ndis registered provider. 

The ndis may also provide assisted technology to run your art studio and modification to a studio where you work.  For example the may be able to install a ramp and accessible toilet, (Conditions do apply). 

Things to remember the ndis will only assist with costs associated with your disability.  The do not pay for art supplies or general art tools, training or education as these are costs all artist incur in developing their art practise. 

Before deciding your ndis goals and how to achieve them, my next blog post is about, the business of making art. 

Opportunities in the Arts and the ndis

Exploring Opportunities

As an established professional artist you will either be self-employed or working for someone in the visual arts field. 

If you choose to work for someone else they will want to see samples of your artwork and your CV. As a school leaver the school should be helping you put this together. If not you might want to ask the ndis if you can access a job support network. They can also assist you to gain training and experience to enhance your chances of finding work.  Your job support person was also work with your employer and the ndis to make modifications to the work place.  This will involve an occupational therapist (OT) assessment. 

Most artists fall into the categories of amateur/hobbyist, beginner, emerging or established artist. If you intend to work as an artist these will be the stages of your career.  As you gain experience you will pass through each stage.  There is an invisible line between each stage and different art organisations will define each stage differently. 

Amateur/Hobbyist - This person enjoys producing art, but doesn't intend it to be an income source.  However, they may choose to enter art competitions and exhibit their work, but they certainly would not think of creating artwork as a job.  Some people may move from art being a hobby to an emerging artist at some point in the future.  At some stage an amateur may choose to gain new skills, through doing an art workshop, course or study.

As a school leaver developing your art skills may interest you.  It is a good idea to talk to you art teacher so they can support you to apply for a course.  It is likely you will need to present a portfolio and have an interview. 

Other post school options may include:-

• Joining a local art group
• Community art classes
• Art workshops
• Disability Support Service with an art program
• Disability Support Service art group or art based activities. (Before signing a service agreement ensure the activity will meet your expectations.)

As a school leaver it is likely your post school ndis goals will embrace other areas of your life. You might want to become more independent, travel independently in the community and gain life skills.  Next year developing a community network and friendship support may be more important.  

These are all things you need to consider when you talk to your planner or LAC.  The ndis needs to consider every aspect of your life and support needs.  So learning new art skills may not happen straight away and you might find a disability support provider who can assist you in helping you with your other goals and has an art group and/or art program.

Your disability may mean that you do not need to access a disability support provider, but you may just need a job coach, some therapy and equipment.  The ndis pathway is different for everyone. 

It is important to note that most artists do not have any formal training.  You do not need to study art to work as a professional artist and most artists are professionals in other areas like my accountant.

Lets look into the future. What opportunities are there for an artist? 

A professional artist will emerge onto the art scene. They may begin by entering art competitions, joining an art group or enjoy going to art workshops on the weekends.  

Through art competitions they may start selling their artwork.  You do not need to set up a business to sell your work, you can sell it through competitions or even markets.  The choice to formally establish a business will be based on your income.

Depending on the type of art you create, 'art & craft' markets are another opportunity to sell your work.  This may not be the best place to sell traditional or abstract wall art. Markets are more likely to suit handcrafts, printmaking, screen printing or pottery.  We will look at where to sell your art and business planning in a later post. 

Working with Galleries

If you have visited an art gallery (such as GOMA) you will have seen different exhibitions on display. The artwork may or may not have been for sale. If the work was not for sale that artwork was most likely owned by the gallery or on loan.  This is known as a 'gallery collection' or it may be a touring exhibition on loan from another gallery or the Australian Art Bank

The Australian Art Bank buys art from collectors and artists or their representatives, to rent to galleries across Australia.  You need to be a well established artist before the art bank might consider looking at your work.  Having work acquired by the Australian Art Bank or any gallery is a goal for well established artists. 

There are two types of galleries that emerging artists will work with. (1) Community Gallery and (2) Small independent commercial galleries.

Community galleries are owned by the local council and belong to the local community.  Typically, local artists and art groups will exhibit in these.  Anyone can apply to exhibit.  Each gallery has their own application process. Information on these applications can generally be found on the galleries website.

Commercial galleries are small independent galleries which are privately owned. Again their is usually a gallery application involved.  All galleries charge a hire fee and a commission on your sale price.

So, with all this information it is time to consider what your visual art practice may look like and when it may be considered a business. My next post will explore what your art studio might look like and the types of support the ndis might consider for your work in the studio.

Planning Art Direction and ndis

So you want to be an artist?

When we use the word 'artist' we are referring to writers, poets, actors, signers, performers, and visual artists. For the purpose of this post we will be talking about visual arts, but the principles can be applied to any of the artforms. 

Before we go to far I should warn you, that you are not choosing a easy path and few people take artist seriously.  In fact most artists have day jobs to pay the rent and buy food and the most important thing - to buy art supplies.  Artists are known as dreamers, but I perfer to refer to us as the critical thinkers of society. 

This is the first blog post is a series I am writing specfially for school leavers with a disability who may be eligable for support from the ndis. You can access the ndis if you have a signifcant disability that impacts you daily living.  This might mean you need help with showering, feeding, reading and writing, transport, budgeting, communication or equiptment that enables you to be independent.  In the past school leavers with disabilities have been referred to service providers to provide their supports. The National Disability Insurance Scheme now allows you with the assistance of family members to choose the supports you want to access.

Your ndis plan will be based on:

• The goals you choose (things you want to do)
• How you want to achieve those goals
• The types of supports you need to achieve your goals.

So when you talk to the ndis, support services, protential feilds of study or a job support agency you want to be as clear as possible about your goals and how you intend to achieve them.  As an artist your not going to be looking for a support program you can slot into, your going to need to create a support service structure that enables you to reach your goals. Since your reading this post I am assuming you:

• Want to create art
• Want to show your art to other people
• May want to sell your art
• May want to work with other artists
• May want to study and train as an artist next year.

These are the activities you want to make clear to your Local Area Coordinator and anyone you ask to be part of your support network. So a ndis goal to be an artist; to sell art; or to make art will not be enough to ensure you are supported in the way you want.  Remember to society artists are the dreamers. 

So what is art and what does an artist do?

This is the first way you can get tripped up! Whether that be with your parents, ndia or people who support you.  Art is many different things. What is art to you, may not be art to me.

For example is this work craft or is it a piece of art and what is its purpose? As you plan for the ndis to support you after school, whether you are producing craftwork or artwork will not matter. What does matter is your intention of what will happen with the finish product.  People chose to engage in arts n crafts for different reasons.  So in your ndis goals you want to be clear on what your reason is. Otherwise you might find yourself sitting in a arts n craft group run by a support provide for 2 to 3 hours a week.

If your goal is to sell your work, then it is going to take you along time to make enough work to sell or exhibit.  Their are things you can do in the meantime and we will look at those in the next post. 

One way to explain to someone what you want to do is to show them a photo. If you have been making art at school you might be able to show that to your planner.

This is the type of art I produce

They still will not understand the process it takes to produce your work so you will need to outline what your day will look like. The ndis talks about accessing pathways. So what we want to look at over the next few weeks is how to map your personal pathway so you can be supported to achieve you goals, you way.

My Art, My Way!

So lets get real! You not going to leave school in December and be hosting your first exhibition in June 2019. Exhibiting your artwork in commerical galleries is one of the many ways to sell you work. However not every artist wants to sell their work and not every artist wants to be self-employed.  You might want to be a graphic artists or a photographer and work for a maginize. This begins to show you how specfice you want to be about your art goal.

So some of the questions you will need to answer are:

1. Why do I want to be involved in art?
2. What do I want the outcome to be?
3. How do I want to engage in art and with other artist?
4. What are the steps in my pathways?
5. What assistance will I need from the ndis?

Every artist reading this post will answer these questions differently and the answers will determine both their life pathways and their ndis pathways.  Being clear about your art; your art pathways and how you want to achieve your goals will make it easier to write your plan with your planner.

Be Professional

A professional is someone who makes money or draws a wage using their talents. skills, knowledge and experience.  As an artists you might sell your own artwork or work for someone else in the production of artwork.

Being a school leaver you might have some talent and skills, but you will not have any experience to work as an artist. You might consider if one of your pathways with be education at art school or university; training with another artist (mentoring) or working in a group art studio where you can learn from other artist.

There are different types of studios you can 'work in', most artists work in their home studios, but it your just getting started you might benifit from being part of a studio.  In Brisbane their are two studios that specifically support artist with diabilities. You will need to apply to join these studios in the same way you  applied to study at university. 

Another influence of the type of studio you need to access is the type of work you will be producing.  If you're drawing and painting then working in a home art studio works well, however if your a siliver smith, potter or sculpturer then you will need a specialised studio with specialised equiptment. 

If the things I have talk about in the post are new to you or you thought art was just about painting, you might want to have a chat to your parents and art teacher about your ndis pathways. In the next post we will look at opportunities for trained artists.

School Leavers and the ndis

Finding Pathways

Chances are if you or a family member are finishing school this year and live in the Ipswich region, you have already connected with your ndis Local Area Coordinator.  If you haven't or you are not part of the ndis scheme and have a disability then you can call the Ipswich Area Office.  In previous years students needs were assessed and they were referred to a disability support provider based on that assessment.  However assessments don't tell the whole story.

This is your life and you should be able to choose the activities you want to do and the friends you want to hang out with.  You need to think about using your ndis plan to place yourself or your child in the best position to achieve your ndis goals.  Through the ndis you can now choose the support service, therapy and equipment providers you will access. 

In selecting providers you will want to select a service that best suits your goals and your family needs.  There is no point going to a provider that only offers life skills and art and crafts if you want to enjoy the great outdoors and go on camping trips. 

If your plan is to look for work when you leave school, then you may not need a disability support provider, you might want to sign up with a supported employment service.  Or like some of your friends you might be off to do a training course, apprenticeship or uni.  People with disabilities are no longer locked into traditional post school pathways. 

If you want you can create your own pathway, self manage, or practically self manage your plan and engage your own support staff.  As a professional artist I have found this works for me.  Research tells us the more thought you put into your plan, the better satisfied you are with the outcomes. 

So how do you know what's available or what support services are out there?  Well, most young people these days use Google.  However Google can not give you the live experience or a human perspective.  Service providers are great at making their services look cool.  They might be really cool but not offer the activities you really, really want to do.  Ndis should mean like everyone else you get to do the things you really want to do.  

The key to being able to enjoy life and doing the things you love are being able to tell your LAC what you want and then having a 'wish list' when you talk to support providers. 

So what if you could talk to providers all on the same day and ask them the same questions. Well if you live in Ipswich then you can do just that at the Ipswich Fresh Futures Market on Wednesday 5th September 9 am to 1 pm.  

So take the future into your own hands and start finding what is out there.